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32 In those days the Lord began to reduce Israel’s size. Hazael struck them down in every region of Israel:33 from the Jordan River eastward, throughout the land of Gilead (Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh), and from Aroer by the Arnon Valley (that is, Gilead) and Bashan.

34 The rest of Jehu’s deeds, all that he accomplished, and all his powerful acts, aren’t they written in the official records of Israel’s kings?35 Jehu lay down with his ancestors. He was buried in Samaria. His son Jehoahaz succeeded him as king.36 Jehu had ruled over Israel for twenty-eight years in Samaria.

Queen Athaliah rules Judah

11 When Athaliah, Ahaziah’s mother, learned of her son’s death, she immediately destroyed the entire royal family.2 But Jehosheba, King Jehoram’s[a] daughter and Ahaziah’s sister, secretly took Ahaziah’s son Jehoash[b] from the rest of the royal children who were about to be murdered and hid[c] him in a bedroom along with his nurse. In this way Jehoash was hidden from Athaliah and wasn’t murdered.3 He remained hidden with his nurse in the Lord’s temple for six years while Athaliah ruled the country.

4 But in the seventh year Jehoiada sent for the commanders of the Carites and of the guards and had them come to him at the Lord’s temple. He made a covenant with them, and made them swear a solemn pledge in the Lord’s temple. Then he showed them the king’s son.5 He commanded them, “This is what you must do: A third of you coming on sabbath duty will guard the palace,6 a second third will be at the Sur Gate, and the final third will be at the gate behind the guards. You will take turns guarding the temple.[d]7 You who are in the first two groups that usually go off duty on the Sabbath should also guard the Lord’s temple to protect the king.8 Surround the king completely, each of you with your weapons drawn. Whoever comes near your ranks must be killed. Stay near the king wherever he goes.”

9 The unit commanders did everything that Jehoiada the priest ordered. They each took charge of those men reporting for duty on the Sabbath as well as those going off duty on the Sabbath. They came to the priest Jehoiada.10 Then the priest gave the unit commanders King David’s spears and shields, which were kept in the Lord’s temple.11 The guards, each with their weapons drawn, then took up positions near the temple and the altar, stretching from the south side of the temple to the north side to protect the king. Everyone was holding his weapons, surrounding the king.12 Jehoiada then brought out the king’s son, crowned him, gave him the royal law,[e] and made him king and anointed him, as everyone applauded and cried out, “Long live the king!”

13 When Athaliah heard the noise made by the guard and the people, she went to the people at the Lord’s temple14 and saw the king standing by the royal pillar, as was the custom, with the commanders and trumpeters beside the king. All the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Athaliah ripped her clothes and screamed, “Treason! Treason!”

15 Then the priest Jehoiada ordered the unit commanders who were in charge of the army: “Take her out under guard,”[f] he told them, “and kill anyone who follows her.” This was because the priest had said, “She must not be executed in the Lord’s temple.”16 They arrested her when she reached the entrance of the Horse Gate at the royal palace. She was executed there.

17 Jehoiada then made a covenant between the Lord, the king, and the people, that the people would belong to the Lord. The king and the people also made a covenant.18 Then all the people of the land went to Baal’s temple and tore it down, smashing its altars and images into pieces. They executed Mattan, Baal’s priest, in front of the altars. The priest Jehoiada posted guards at the Lord’s temple.19 Then he took the unit commanders, the Carites, the guards, and all the people of the land, and they led the king down from the Lord’s temple, processing through the Guards’ Gate to the palace, where the king sat upon the royal throne.20 All the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was at peace now that Athaliah had been executed at the palace.

Jehoash rules Judah

12 He[h] became king in Jehu’s seventh year, and he ruled for forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah; she was from Beer-sheba.2 Jehoash always did what was right in the Lord’s eyes, because the priest Jehoiada was his teacher.3 However, the shrines were not removed. People kept sacrificing and burning incense at them.4 Jehoash said to the priests, “Collect all the currently available money relating to holy things that is brought to the temple—some is money people pay to redeem persons according to their assessed value. Collect all the money brought to the Lord’s temple that people offer voluntarily.[i]5 The priests should take the money from their donors and use it to repair the temple wherever such a need for repair is discovered.”

6 But by the twenty-third year of King Jehoash, the priests still hadn’t repaired the temple.7 So King Jehoash summoned Jehoiada the priest and the other priests together. “Why haven’t you repaired the temple?” he asked them. “Stop taking money from your donors; instead, give it directly for temple repairs.”8 The priests agreed that they wouldn’t take any more money from the people nor be responsible for temple repairs.9 Then the priest Jehoiada took a box, made a hole in its lid, and placed it beside the altar, to the right as one enters the Lord’s temple. The priests who stood watch at the door put all the money brought to the Lord’s temple in the box.10 As soon as they saw that a large amount of money was in the box, the royal scribe and the high priest would come, count the money that was in the temple, and put it in a bag.11 They would then hand over the money that had been counted[j] to those who supervised the work on the temple. These supervisors then paid money to those who worked on the Lord’s temple: carpenters, builders,12 masons, and stonecutters. The money was used to purchase wood and quarried stone to repair the Lord’s temple and for every other cost involved in repairing it.13 But the money that was brought to the Lord’s temple was not used to make silver basins, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, trumpets, or any gold or silver object for the Lord’s temple.14 Instead, it was given directly to those who did the repair work; they used it to repair the Lord’s temple.15 There was no need to check on those who received the money and paid the workers, because they acted honestly.16 Now as for the money for compensation and purification offerings, it wasn’t brought to the Lord’s temple. It belonged to the priests.

17 About this same time, Aram’s King Hazael came up, attacked Gath, and captured it. Next Hazael decided to march against Jerusalem.18 Judah’s King Jehoash took all the holy objects that had been dedicated by his ancestors—Judah’s kings Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, and Ahaziah—along with the holy objects he himself had dedicated, as well as all the gold in the treasure rooms of the Lord’s temple and the palace, and he sent them to Aram’s King Hazael. Hazael then pulled back from Jerusalem.

19 The rest of Jehoash’s[k] deeds and all that he accomplished, aren’t they written in the official records of Judah’s kings?20 Jehoash’s officials plotted a conspiracy and killed him at Beth-millo on the road that goes down to Silla.21 It was Jozacar son of Shimeath and Jehozabad son of Shomer, his officials, who struck him so that he died. He was buried with his ancestors in David’s City. His son Amaziah succeeded him as king.

2 Kings 12:19Heb Joash (also in 13:20); the king’s name is variously spelled in either long Jehoash or short Joash form. The latter is the form used in 2 Chron.

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Acts 18:1-22

Paul in Corinth

18 After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.2 There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus. He had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul visited with them.3 Because they practiced the same trade, he stayed and worked with them. They all worked with leather.4 Every Sabbath he interacted with people in the synagogue, trying to convince both Jews and Greeks.5 Once Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself fully to the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.6 When they opposed and slandered him, he shook the dust from his clothes in protest and said to them, “You are responsible for your own fates! I’m innocent! From now on I’ll go to the Gentiles!”7 He left the synagogue and went next door to the home of Titius Justus, a Gentile God-worshipper.8 Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire household came to believe in the Lord. Many Corinthians believed and were baptized after listening to Paul.

9 One night the Lord said to Paul in a vision, “Don’t be afraid. Continue speaking. Don’t be silent.10 I’m with you and no one who attacks you will harm you, for I have many people in this city.”11 So he stayed there for eighteen months, teaching God’s word among them.

12 Now when Gallio was the governor of the province of Achaia, the Jews united in their opposition against Paul and brought him before the court.13 “This man is persuading others to worship God unlawfully,” they declared.

14 Just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to the Jews, “If there had been some sort of injury or criminal behavior, I would have reason to accept your complaint.15 However, since these are squabbles about a message, names, and your own Law, deal with them yourselves. I have no desire to sit in judgment over such things.”16 He expelled them from the court,17 but everyone seized Sosthenes, the synagogue leader, and gave him a beating in the presence of the governor. None of this mattered to Gallio.

18 After Paul stayed in Corinth for some time, he said good-bye to the brothers and sisters. At the Corinthian seaport of Cenchreae he had his head shaved, since he had made a solemn promise. Then, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila, he sailed away to Syria.19 After they arrived in Ephesus, he left Priscilla and Aquila and entered the synagogue and interacted with the Jews.20 They asked him to stay longer, but he declined.21 As he said farewell to them, though, he added, “God willing, I will return.” Then he sailed off from Ephesus.22 He arrived in Caesarea, went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church, and then went down to Antioch.

Praise. Of David.

145 I will lift you up high, my God, the true king.I will bless your name forever and always.2 I will bless you every day.I will praise your name forever and always.3 The Lord is great and so worthy of praise!God’s greatness can’t be grasped.4 One generation will praise your works to the next one,proclaiming your mighty acts.5 They will talk all about[b] the glorious splendor of your majesty;I will contemplate your wondrous works.6 They will speak of the power of your awesome deeds;I will declare your great accomplishments.7 They will rave in celebration of your abundant goodness;they will shout joyfully about your righteousness:8 “The Lord is merciful and compassionate,very patient, and full of faithful love.9 The Lord is good to everyone and everything;God’s compassion extends, to all his handiwork!”10 All that you have made gives thanks to you, Lord;all your faithful ones bless you!11 They speak of the glory of your kingdom;they talk all about your power,12 to inform all human beings about God’s powerand the majestic glory of God’s kingdom.13 Your kingdom is a kingship that lasts forever;your rule endures for all generations.The Lord is trustworthy in all that he says,faithful in all that he does.[c]14 The Lord supports all who fall down,straightens up all who are bent low.15 All eyes look to you, hoping,and you give them their food right on time,16 opening your handand satisfying the desire of every living thing.17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways,faithful in all his deeds.18 The Lord is close to everyone who calls out to him,to all who call out to him sincerely.19 God shows favor to those who honor him,listening to their cries for help and saving them.20 The Lord protects all who love him,but he destroys every wicked person.21 My mouth will proclaim the Lord’s praise,and every living thing will bless God’s holy nameforever and always.